Tuesday, September 30, 2008

B is for Baby Shower!

I love Babies! They are such amazing bundles of joy and truly are a blessing. Although taking care of a baby can be a lot of work, I believe that the benefit of watching these little amazing human beings grow and develop into something special is truly rewarding.

When our client Kay approached us about designing invites for a Baby Shower she was throwing, it was definitely a no brainer! The color scheme of the Baby Shower is Chocolate and Pink, and this is a very large shower that Kay is hosting for the expectant parents at a catering venue in Brooklyn. Below are two samples that I created for Kay in Photoshop:


My super FAB husband-to-be Darren will be doing the cutting and printing for this project, so that Kay can roll these invites up and put them into these baby bottles.

How adorable is that!










Sunday, September 28, 2008

How Much Is It??

Ah yes! That pertinent question that always seems to cause red faces, stressed nerves, and eventually empty pockets. Setting and creating a budget for your event or wedding can be a difficult thing. If you are like me you have an amount that you'd like the event to cost but if you go over budget oh well and if it comes in under budget, kudos to you!

When we initially sit down with clients to discuss their budget we often have to give them harsh realitites of how much things will actually cost them in the end. It seems that while they are throwing out ideas and fantasizing about their day they are completly shutting out the fact that they have to pay for all of the glamour and probably have a bill or two to pay on the side. What many clients don't remember is that once you make the budget, you have to stick with it until the actual event. When it gets nearer to the date many couples come up short with funds and that is the time when the largest and most important aspects you can't skimp on need to be paid (i.e. the final venue payment, transportation, flowers, etc.).






Before you dive into purchasing things and committing to every cute and spectacular idea you see, take a moment to write out all of the things you may need for the event. Once you have made the list estimate how much you want to spend on each line item. Don't forget to do your research on prices in your area or in the area that your event is being held. Always remember to include shipping, tax and gratuity where needed, most people leave these things out and get stressed when they go over budget due to miscalculations.








Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

When it comes to a bride choosing her special ladies in waiting it is often an easy task. You may be a bride that can rattle off 5 names at the drop of a hat. Other brides are not so lucky, debating and deliberating over who these special picks will be. Some worry that family members feelings will be hurt and friends will see how "unimportant" they are, which isn't true. A bride must remember a few things when making a big decision like this.



Card by cafepress.com



1. How many people do you want in your bridal party and is this number flexible? You have to see how many attendants you an afford to have in your wedding and make sure the groom can match that number.
2. Have you promised a spot to someone before making your final decision? Sometimes in the excitement of taking about weddings, brides want all of their girlfriends to be their bridesmaids until they make out the list and want to import a few family members as well.
3. Will the people you are choosing be reliable and supportive of your wedding? This is an important question because you need your bridesmaids to assist you when you need them to, show for fittings and meetings and support you and you future husband in making your day special.
4. Will your bridesmaids be accommodating but also know when to give an opinion? You will want your bridesmaids to wear a dress of your choosing so to help the process be as painless a possible you will want to have maids that are accommodating to your requests, as long as they are outlandish. It's also good to have maids that will give you opinions on things and be able to give them with tact and compassion.
5. Make sure that your special girls are available to be your bridesmaid. This not only includes the actual day of the wedding but also let them know that they will have fittings, rehearsals, showers and monetary obligations that they will be agreeing to.So what's the big deal about choosing your bridesmaids?
6. If you wind up choosing a mismatched group of people they may not get along or work well together, leaving you to hear about the arguments and catty comments. This is a special time for you as a bride and should be a happy occasion so really consider personalities, personal situations, and lifestyles when choosing your bridesmaids.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

A Sex & The City Bridal Shower!

This Saturday I had the of attending my bridal shower that I initally started planning but then my bridesmaids took it over. I started coordinating a pink and black shower and based on my inital planning my bridesmaids decided to play in the pink and black with a Sex and The City theme. Being a lover of New York City, a label lover and having fabulous friends it was only fitting to have theme be Sex and the City. The shower was an intimate affair of my closest friends and family. Keeping this event under wraps from me wasn't an easy task but it definitely paid off in the end....


The Invitation:


Landra's Bridal Shower
You are cordially invited to the bridal shower of Landra V. To celebrate friendship, fun and fabulousness we ask that you dress your SATC best and join us for this once in a lifetime event besides what's a party in New York without a little Sex!
September 20th, 2008


The Decor: Stilettos and pearls donned the bar area to pay homage to Ms. Bradshaw and her style. Martini glasses with candies, photos of the fearsome foursome and favorite quotes rounded out the decor of the location to put the guests in the mood. The guests dined on chinese food which was favorite of Carrie and Miranda while the specialty drink of the day were of course pink cosmos!

























The Favors:
Wanting to keep with the theme of the shower, the favors were a little bit of a questions at first for my bridesmaids. I had made a suggestion that I would like for my guests to have something that was either edible or a gift that they could really use. Once that was said there was only one thing left for my bridesmaid to do..have 'Smith Jarrod' give of the rock every girl would want...no not that kind! Diamond ring key chains fit the bill along with a special thank you from the absolute hunk himself.







Sunday, September 14, 2008

Celebrity Spotlight: Ray Allen & Shannon Walker Williams

The Celebrity Spotlight of this month is Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen, 33, and his longtime girlfriend and mother of his three children Shannon Walker Williams,32, who was in the film Girl Fight. It is wonderful that these two have been dating for so long and have remained commited to one another for 10 years, because often times the NBA can make long-term relationships difficult. They chose a serene waterfront setting for their nuptials and had a simply stunning wedding!

Date: August 16, 2008
Place: A private estate on Martha's Vineyard
Theme: Beach Elegance
Colors: Ivory, Purple, Blue
Highlights: Ray propsed to Shannon with Brian McKnight's hit song Never Felt This Way About Loving and Brian McKnight sung the same song at the wedding as Shannon walked down the aisle. The aisle was covered in rose petals and both Ray and Shannon were barefoot.






Friday, September 12, 2008

Wedding Bell Blues

A frazzled bride is very easy to find especially if it is the month of her wedding! Last minute changes, non responsive guests, family fiascoes and paying the final deposits to almost every vendor you have recruited can be a hassle, heartache and make you break the bank. If you are a bride and you have hit the point of no return on the stress meter here are a few ways that you can decompress without your fiancee and friends thinking you should be committed.




Sleep Tight

Create a firm stop time when all wedding talk ceases for the day. This will allow you to step away from the details that can be a pain and keep you up all hours of the night. A suggestion would be to stop at least 2 hours before your bedtime so that you can unwind, breathe and calm yourself for some much needed sleep. Many times when stress is piled on sleep is the first thing that is avoided. Try some calming tunes like jazz or a babbling brook to help you unwind and slip into dreamland.






From time to time we all feel that if we want something done right we need to do it ourselves, but in the case of impending nuptials and a rapidly depleting time schedule we could be our own worst enemy. Many brides find that within weeks of their big day the to-do list that they have gets longer rather than shorter. This is a good time to enlist your arsenal of bridesmaids. Yes they did commit to being your bridesmaid and support you through this special time so why not include them on a few tasks to complete too. Simple things such as picking up the guestbook or grabbing the flower girls shoes from the store shouldn't put them out too much.



Hitting the gym for some cardio, taking a kickboxing class or even running can take the edge of and reduce your stress level. In addition to kicking stresses but you can also get yours into shape for the big day while you're at it. Working out releases endorphins and boost your mood, it is also a great way to leave some of that aggression behind before facing families or fiancees.


Even though he is your soon to be husband don't forget that he is the cutie pie you swooned over before he put the ring on your finger. Don't forget to spend time with your soon-to-be by having a date night or do an activity that is totally non-wedding related. Make these times with your finacee completely void of wedding talk and just enjoy each others company. Another way to de-stress call your friends (throw in some that have nothing to do with your wedding too) and go out, it would be fabulous to get a group of friends together for dinner and a movie, shopping and brunch, or drinks and Sex and the City DVD's.









Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Watch or Walk: 27 Dresses vs. My Best Friend's Wedding?

One bridesmaids closet has an overflowing number of no so favorable frocks while the other has no intention of letting her friend walk down the aisle without a declaration. Jane and Julianne are caught in the details of a wedding that is not their own and they take us for a long ride on the way to love, real life and letting go so....which does it for you? What would you Watch or Walk away from?









Sunday, September 7, 2008

We Have Been Added to Best Wedding Blogs!

We are pleased to announce that this weekend we have been added to Best Wedding Blogs. Best Wedding Blogs was started by Northern California Wedding Industry Professional Stacie Tamaki, and features some of the best blogs from Wedding Industry Professionals in Northern California and across the country. We feel truly honored that Stacie has chosen to feature our blog in the National Blog section and you can rest assure that we will continue to blog our hearts out. Thank You Stacie!












Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Watch or Walk: Bridezillas vs. Platinum Weddings

Welcome to the Watch or Walk files where you tell us what your time and attention is geared to. First up is WE TVs hit shows Bridezillas going up against their network glam goddess program Platinum Weddings. Bridezillas gives us the gritty look at planning a wedding with all the unwanted opinions, nosy in laws, and tyrannical brides thrown it. Platinum Weddings is the

luxurious story of a couple with an endless amount of money to throw at every wish and whim for their big day.....so do you Watch it or Walk on by it?


VS.











Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Wedding Customs Part II

We are back with the second edition of wedding customs where we finally getting to the bottom of those "traditions" and how they came to be in American culture. We do some without asking why such as having the brides family always being seated on the left side or tossing the bouquet; but others we know not why but do them just the same. Let's find out a little more about them...




Take Home Trinkets


Wedding favors have been around for thousands of years with many cultures participating in this practice. Favors are intended to be a token or appreciation for your guests in appreciation for them sharing your big day. Many cultures give five pieces of candy, such as almonds, to represent the wedding wishes: health, wealth, happiness, long life and fertility. Favors were originally given in the form of sugar because it was very expensive and something only the very wealthy could afford. This showed that it was an exclusive item to receive on any special occasion.







You Have A Gift Mr. and Mrs.





Often times the bride and groom to be will have special gifts delivered to their beloveds before the ceremony as a somewhat grand gesture of their love and appreciation for them. This originated with Welsh and Pennsylvania Dutch couples who would craft special handmade gifts for their loved ones to be used in their home together. Couples today continue this tradition by writing special notes and poems or purchasing something sentimental and special to their their soon to be something they have always wanted.




Sign on the Dotted Line


When celebs and high profile people get hitched they often times sign a prenuptial agreement, however, long ago it was called flouncing! Flouncing was a gathering of the brides and grooms friends to get to know one another and was legally binding. If after this point either party wanted to get out of the impending marriage the other half was entitled to half of all of their property and possessions.





Arroz con no Pollo

Throwing rice at the happy couple is something that everyone does but most people probably don't know the meaning behind it. Rice being tossed at the couple means that the attendants wish then prosperity, fertility and life long happiness.

Riddle Me This
Here are a few old sayings from the bridal world, maybe you've heard them before...


Marry in white, you will do all rightMarry in blue, your man will be trueMarry in brown, you will live in townMarry in green, you should be ashamed to be seenMarry in red, wish yourself deadMarry in black, better turn backMarry in yellow, not marrying the right fellowMarry in gray, sadness will come your wayMarry on Monday for wealth,Tuesday for health,Wednesday the very best day of all,Thursday you will soon be counting your losses,Friday your crosses,and if married on Saturday, you will have no luck at all!


Other superstitions in the wedding world consisted of things such as the bride had to cook the first meal for her and the groom to eat after their weeding or else it was considered bad luck, an old frying pan or broom could not be used in the new couples house and these items would have to be purchased new for their home, which is why family and friends provide new items to the couple to put in their new house today. Whether you believe in these traditions and wives tails or think they are a bunch of hooey its always nice to have a reference of where they come from and why they are there int he first place.